Hoist



May 16, 1944.. LOCK HOIST Filed Jan. 24, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEYMay 15, 1944. -c 2,348,987

HOIST Filed Jan. 24, 1940 2 Sheets- Sheef, g

INVENTOR f flN/f 4067/ TTORNEY Patented May 16, 1944 I UNITED STATESPATENT Frank mu, Philadelphia, Pa... assignorto The Yale & Town'eManufacturing Company,

' Stamford, Coma, a corporation of Connecticut Application January 24,1940, Serial No. 315,355

oFFics a 6 Claims.

This invention relates to hoisting mechanism. and more especially to ahoist of the type in which there is employed a drum having a spiralgroove into which is wound a wire rope or cable.

More particularly, my invention relates to a combined rope guide andlimit switch for a hoist of the class described. My invention alsoprovides means for adjusting the rope guiding mechanism and the limitswitch mechanism whereby to contribute much sought-for results.

More in detail, my invention provides a rope guiding member which ismounted for sliding movement on a shaft parallel to the axis of thehoisting' drum, there being provided limit switches adjacent each end ofthedrum which are actuated by a portion of the rope guiding member, thisportion being preferably cast integrally with the rope guiding member.By mounting the limit switches for adjustment preferably parallel to themovement of the rope guiding member, I make it possible to operate thelimit switches by the rope guiding member in any position to which theyare adjusted. The adjustment is exceedingly simple, as is apparent, andmay be made practically in an unlimited number of positions.

As a further feature of my invention, 1 so mount the rope guiding memberthat it itself is adjustable relatively to its mounting means to bringit into proper cooperating relation with the rope and winding drum.Preferably, the means which are utilized comprise an eccentricsleevemounted between the shaft which supports the rope guiding memberand the rope guiding member itself, it being obvious that rotation ofthis eccentric sleeve will adjust the rope guiding member. I I

For a detailed description of a preferred embodiment of my invention. Ishall refer to the drawings wherein Fig. 1 is a perspective view of ahoist in which-my invention is embodied. I'.ig. 2 is a sectionalonglines 2-2 of Fig. 1, while Rig. 3 is a section along lines 3-! ofFig. 1. Figs,

M. A shaft I5 is secured parallel to the axis of the winding drum i0 andsupports thereon in I a manner to be described presently, a rope guidingmember l6. This rope guiding member Ithas a relatively long forward legI1 and a shorter forward leg it, it being the function of a portion ofthe longerleg ii to ride in the groove II in advance of thewire rope l2,as' is best shown in Fig. 5, thereby moving the rope guiding member Iand guiding the rope into the groove l'l. Ac-' tually, it is the surfaceIla of the longer leg ll which lies in the groove i i.

The rope guiding member it has a further portion l9 similar to portionHo and riding in a portion of the groove Ii somewhat behind theportion"(Land assisting the portion Ha in mov--' ing the rope guiding member,as willbe apple-- ciate'tl.

The rope I: is giuded by the legs n and In of the rope guiding member I6 into the groove ii,

and a flat spring member 20 (Figs. 4 and 7-)' I which is suflicientlywide to overlap two iuxtaposed groove portions of the spiral-groove ll,as-

- sists in maintaining the rope H 'in position. It-

will now be obvious that rotation of the drum 7 will cause a movement ofthe rope guiding member ii on its shaft ii to guide the rope into andout of the spiral groove ii of the drum l0, depending: upon thedirection of rotation of the drum".

I employ a novel construction for adjusting the rope guiding member isrelatively to the remainder of the hoist, it'being obvious that suchadjustment may become necessary, especially as the hoist wears. For theparticular purpose, I interpose between the cylindrical portion 2i ofthe rope guide member i8 and the shaft I! an eccentric sleeve 22, bestshown in Figs; 4 and 6. One end of this eccentric sleeve 22 h'as ahexagon head 2! whereby the sleeve maybe rotated to adjust therelationship between the cylindrical portion 21 of the rope guidingmember' It and":

4. and 5 are sections along lines 4-4 and 5-5,

respectively, of Fig.2. Fig. 61s a sectionalong lines H of Fig. 4. Fig.'l is a perspective view of my rope guiding member taken on an anglesubstantially opposite the angle of Fig. 1.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, I show in Fig. 1 a formof wire rope hoist in which there is utilized a lifting drum llhavingformed therein a spiral groove ll into which is adapted to enter awire rope H. The rope I! may be secured to the drum in any one of,several ways known in the art, and as the drum rotates.

the wire is woundinto the groove, all as will be appreciated by thoseskilled in the art.

For rotating the winding drum, I utilize a motor mounted in the housingI! and rotating the drum through suitable gears in the housingthe shaftl5, all as will be quite apparent..

For maintaining'the sleeve 22m any adjusted position and "againstmovemehtirelativelyto the cylindrical portion 2| of tnerop guidingmemherit, I utilizefa bolt'j'l screw threaded into an offset portion extended"from the --cylindricalportion 1|: -,Whn"this bolt';is' tightened? itac'ts through the'Jwasheu Bjto secureat head. 2: 'of"t;he"sleevwhatsoever; Itisih'o ght tnar'me' cons of m 'h uamgnesyei-sndfitsfnianner of tion w ll nowapparquiteelea' A pair o'f braclr'ets"Zffexteiidi 's zrw which are housed an *up'per lirnit' switch 'fl*iiiitb a lower limit switch 30. Since these switches are identical inconstruction, mounting and operation, only the lower limit switch willbe described in detail. The wiring of the switches and their relation tothe hoisting motor circuit is not here shown since that is not part ofthe invention, being similar to that of the usual paddle operated limitswitches well known by those skilled in the art.

Referring now particularly to Figs. 1-3, it will be noted that withinthe open'casing 28 there is a longitudinally extending box-like bracket3| slotted as at 32 for the passage of the headed bolts 33 maintained inthreaded engagement with a threaded plate 34 held within the boxlikebracket 3|. The limit switch 30 is supported by L-shaped brackets 35,each of which is bored for the passage of the headed bolts 33. It isobvious that by loosening the bolts 33 relatively to the threaded plate34, it is possible to slide the limit switch 30 and plate 34 relativelyto the bracket 3| and into any particular adjusted position.

Each limit switch is equipped with a push button 36, and this pushbutton is adapted for operation by an arm 31 extending upwardly from therope guiding member 16, and preferably integral therewith. It is obviousthat in the lowered position of the hoist, the arm 31 will actuate thepush button 36 of the lower limit switch 30, while when the load israised, the arm 31 will actuate the push button 36 of the upper limitswitch '23. It is obvious further that because of the manner in whichthe adjustments are made in the position of the lower limit switch, andof course of the upper limit switch, the arm 31 will operate theswitches quite effectively in any adjusted position.

While I have shown .a preferred embodiment of my invention, it isobvious that many other forms thereof incorporating my contribution tothe art will be readily conceived by those skilled in the art. I shalltherefore claim a monopoly of such breadth as to prevent the utilization'of my contribution by others.

I claim:

- 1. In a hoist of the class described, a rotating drum having a spiralgrooved surface, a hoisting rope adapted for spiral winding in thegroove of said surface, a rope guiding member having a portion fittinginto the groove of, said drum, a shaft parallel 'to :the axis of saiddrum :and about which :said member is mounted for slidingmovement,wv'l'iich:sliding movement is imparted to said member throughsaid portion by rotation of said drum, means whereby said member ,guidesthe bar and said shaft, rotation of said sleeve relatively to said ropeguiding member acting through said eccentric to adjust the position ofsaid member on said shaft and relatively to-said drum.

3. In a hoist of the class described, a rotating drum having a spiralgrooved surface, a hoisting rope adapted for spiral winding in thegroove of said surface, a rope guiding member having a portion fittinginto the'groove of said drum, 0.

shaft parallel to the axis of said drum and about which said member ismounted for sliding movement, which sliding movement is imparted to saidmember through said portion by rotation of said drum, an eccentricsleeve imposed between said rope guiding member and said shaft, rotationof said sleeve relatively to said rope guiding member acting throughsaid eccentric to adjust the position of said member and its groove engportion relatively to said drum.

4. In a hoist of the class described, a rotating drum having a spiralgrooved surface, a hoisting rope adapted for spiral winding in thegroove of said surface, a rope guiding member having a portion fittinginto the groove of said drum, a shaft parallel to the axis of said drumand about which said member is, mounted for sliding movement, whichsliding movement is imparted thereto through said portion by rotation ofsaid drum, a sleeve fitted on said shaft and having a circular surfaceeccentric relatively to said shaft, said rope guiding member beingmounted on Said shaft through the intermediary of said circular surface,and means for rotating said sleeve on said shaft to adjust the positionof said member and its groove engaging portion relatively to said drum.

5. In a hoist of the class described, a mtathg drum having a spiralgrooved surface, a busting rope adapted for spiral winding in the .gmdweof said surface, a rope guiding member a portion fitting into the grooveof said drum, a

rope into-said drum as the drum rotates, an electric swltchzpositionedat each end of said drum, means forming part of said rope guiding.member fonactuating one switch when said rope guiding member moves toone end of saiddrum, and

for actuating the other switch when said rope' guiding member moves tothe other end of said ilrum, and an eccentric sleeve imposed between:said rope aguiding member and said shaft, :rota- .tion of..said:sleeverelatively to said rope vguiding member-acting through said eccentric toadjust the position of said member and its groove engaging. portionrelatively to said shaft.

2. In :fillOiSl? of the class described, a rotating drunifihaving aspiral grooved surface, a hoisting rope -;a'daptecl for spiral windingin the groove of .said surface, a rope guiding member, a shaftparalllitdthe axis of said drum and about which said vmember is mountedfor sliding movement, means whereby rotation of said drum impartsslidingniovement to said member, an eccentric sleeve imposed betweensaid rope guiding mem-Q 76 shaft parallel to the axis of said drum andabout which said member is mounted for sliding movement, which slidingmovement is imparted thereto through said portion by rotation or saiddrum, an eccentric sleeve imposed between said rope guiding member andsaid shaft, rotation "of said sleeve relatively to said rope guidingmember acting through said eccentric to adjust the position of saidmember and its groove engaging portion relatively to said drum, andmeans for securing said sleeve and rope guiding member for movement as aunit on said shaft.

6. In a hoist of the class described, a rotating drum having a spiralgrooved surface, a hoisting rope adapted for spiral winding in thegroove of said surface, a rope guiding member having a portion fittinginto the groove of said drum, a shaft parallel to the axis of said drumand about which said member is mounted for sliding movement, whichsliding movement is imparted thereto through said portion by rotation ofsaid drum, a sleeve fitted on said shaft and having a circularsurfaceeccentric relatively to said shaft,

said rope guiding member being mounted on said shaftthroughtheintermediary of said circular surface, means for rotating saidsleeve on said shaft to adjust the position'of said member and its.groove engaging portion relatively to said drum, and means for securingsaid sleeve and ropeguiding member for movement as a unit on said shaft.

FRANK LOCK.

